Storms kill four people in Kentucky, Arkansas

Severe storms in the South and Central US claimed four lives Saturday.The National Weather Service confirmed t...

Posted: Feb 26, 2018 9:55 AM

Updated: Feb 26, 2018 10:12 AM

Severe storms in the South and Central US claimed four lives Saturday.

The National Weather Service confirmed that three tornadoes hit Kentucky Saturday night in Hopkinsville, Logan County and Warren County.

Three people in Kentucky died in storms, according to Monica French, Kentucky emergency management spokeswoman.

A 79-year-old woman died when she was hit by debris in her southwestern Kentucky home, the Logan County Sheriff's Office said. A tornado that passed through the area was likely EF-2 in strength, the National Weather Service said. That means winds may have gusted up to 110 mph.

The county's emergency management office said some structures, including barns and grain bins, were damaged.

A man was found dead in Simpson County, Kentucky, after his car became submerged in a creek, CNN affiliate WSMV reported.

In Robertson County, on the other side of the border with Tennessee, there were also reports of overturned vehicles, windows blown out, and downed trees.

Another unidentified man in Union County, Kentucky, died when his car was submerged in a ditch filled with storm water.

One person also dided in Knobel, Arkansas. Albert Foster, 83, died when his trailer home was blown away by storms passing through, Clay County Sheriff Terry Miller said in a post on the department's official Facebook page.

Power outages, downed power poles and flooded roads were reported in the county, the sheriff's office said.

Ohio Governor John Kasich issued an emergency declaration for 17 counties - along the Ohio River and in southern Ohio - "due to dangerous conditions resulting from severe storms and heavy rain."

"I urge people to stay safe by staying informed, not taking any chances and checking in on your neighbors, especially seniors and families with young kids," Kasich said in a press release.

Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee were under a tornado watch until early Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service.